Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-02-03
A GIGANTIC NEWSPAPER HOAX.


.
peared On The New York sun In 1898.
The moon story, which appeared in the
fall of 1885 in the columns Of The New
York Sun, was the most gigantic news
paper hoax ever perpetrated. II was
known that Sir John Herschel had gone
70 the Cape Of Good Hope to make OBJ
servations with new instruments OF ex-
traordinary power. Then there appeared
q series Of papers describing what Sir
John had discovered. They purported to
be copied from the pages Of supplement
TO The Edinburgh (ScotlandD Journal OF
Science, exclusive copies Of which had
been received at The Sun office.
II was known that the atmosphere OF
the Cape Of Good Hope is uneQualed for
purity, and Of course has corresponding
facility of celestial observation. and when
IL was stated. what nobody among us
could undertake to deny, especially as 1t
was said TO be confirmed by actual obser-
walton, that the great object glass OF the
astronomers chief telescope was a lens
Of seven tons weight, no great wonder
was felt 10 the results from its use were
unexanIpleil. II was said, then. in the
alleged report Of the ''great discoveries, "
that So great was the magnifying power
Of this instrument (42, 900 times) that it
could impart to objects at the distance OF
the moon degree Of visibility equal to
that ENJOYED by objects on our earth not
more than 100 yards off. This put II
within Sir Johns power to view, not only
the larger class Of natural objects in the
moon, but 10 see with ease the dwellings,
animals, and even persons Of the Lunari-
ans. which he accordingly described.
The descriptions Of Lunar scenery all
believed. There was 50 much yerisimili-
tude. such sl,rewd and apparently accu-
rate scientific phraseology, that scientists
found il no easy task why they should
not give the story credence. But when
there came descriptions Of the web wings
appended to the favorite inhabitants OF
our satellite. constituting them in appear
ance sort of man bat. strong skepticism
OF the whole story was manifested Edgar
Allan Poe, the poet, speaking Of the i'm
mense success Of the 'moon hoax. states
'.that not one person in ten discredited it,
and (strangest point of ALI the doubters
were chiefly those who doubted without
being able TO say why-the ignorant,
those uninforned in astronomy, people
who would not believe because the thing
was so novel. so entirely 'out of the usual
way. A grave professor of mathematics
in Virginia college told me seriously
that he had no doubt Of the truth of the
whole affair. The hoax was circulated
10 an immense extent. was translated
into various languages. and was. upon
the whole. decidedly the greatest hit in
the way of sensation, of merely popular
sensation. ever made by any similar fic-
ton either in America or Europe"
The skeptics thought that they would
discover the truth or fiction Of the mys-
terious story by the effect it would pro-
duce in Europe, but the event was at first
nv no means so distinct for them or so un-
favorable TO the credit of the story as
might have been supposed. II was read
all over Europe with n ken an interest
as il had been here. and was made the
subject of certain kind Of discussion,
even in the French Academy of Science.
when the great Arago at length took it
upon himself chiefly. as he said. out OF
respect to name and honor Of his friend.
Herschel, To put an exiingiiisher upon
IL. Henschel himself was first made ac-
quainted with the liberty that had been
taken with his name by its bcing sent him
among bundle Of miscellaneous New
York newspapers, obligingly furnished
him by Caleb Weeks, who hal gone out
from the United States to the cape for a
lot Of giraffes and other African animals
for his menagerie. lie saw Immediately,
of courSr, the nature of the thing. treating
il good naturally.
James Gordon Bennett, of The New York
Herald, was the first TO charge The Sun
with the fabrication OF a hoax, and the
inventor Of the story, who was editor OF
the paper, had 10 he very adroit in deal
ing with the situation in such a manner
as to conduct The concentrated indigna-
tion and disappointment of the public
safely away. Trie or false. il wonder
fully increased the circulation of The Sun,
hut Mr.. Richard Adams Locke, an Eng
lishman, who was the author of the hoax,
never wrote anything afterward which
created much sensation. II took long
time 10 convince the public that il had
been deceived. and il was said that some
spinsicrS at Springfield. Mass. took the
story in such good earnest that they COM
menced establishing missionary society
for the conversion Of the Lunarians.-
Ben: Perley Poore in Boston Budget.